I organisers , we have all had the dawning realisation that even post the pandemic things will never go back to the way that we as a sector used to do business . With the mandatory restrictions on the events industry trading and with the world ’ s focus on health , I have had to think hard and fast and learn how to adapt our business model to a rapidly emerging marketplace in a techfocused society . I think it is sometimes easier for small independent organisers to react more quickly to market changes or demand and there has been a notable shift in the way clients are spending their marketing budgets ; something that has changed drastically over the last 12 months . There has been a steadily increasing trend towards digital spend , even pre Covid-19 , that I first noticed around three years ago : the pandemic has just bought it to the forefront .
Healthy future ?
Dawn Barclay-Ross , founder and director , Future Health Innovations , thinks so ...
With that in mind , and in response to market demand , we have completely digitalised Future Health , which has historically been a traditional annual in-person
“ I think it is sometimes easier for small independent organisers to react more quickly to market changes or demand and there has been a notable shift in the way clients are spending their marketing budgets .”
event at ExCeL London . We have completely rebranded during lockdown , and the flagship face-to-face event Future Health Innovations is now complemented by a global virtual conference series under the brand UK Health Week that is CPD and CME accredited . I think there will always be a place for face-to-face events ; you can ’ t beat faceto-face in any aspect of business or life in my view , and we are contracted with ExCeL for a live ‘ in person ’ event four years in advance to 2025 .
However , I think the remit has totally shifted , certainly in health circles . As a result of international travel restrictions , health professionals in global markets are looking for on-line engagement . I have to offer them the ability to operate online , or it limits their ability to suitably research and access the products and services that their hospitals and citizens desperately need . Health buyers want to be able to operate from the comfort of their desk or smart device and from literally anywhere in the world . The upside is a bigger geographical outreach with less outlay for us as organisers . And for the client , an increased ROI with profitable encounters via AI powered software . I do not think this shift towards the digital age will ever revert back completely . I can see digital becoming the flagship revenue stream , very quickly , for us all .
Dawn Barclay-Ross , founder and director , Future Health Innovations
March-April — 43